What makes cymbalta work

These chemical messengers are responsible for relaying messages throughout your brain that impact many different bodily functions. It is thought that imbalances in some of these neurotransmitters can lead to mood and anxiety disorders. Cymbalta works to bring balance back to the neurotransmitters called serotonin and norepinephrine. Both of these chemical messengers are connected to panic disorder. Serotonin is involved in regulating many functions including mood and sleep and norepinephrine regulates the fight-or-flight stress response and reactions to anxiety.

Cymbalta can restore balance by preventing your brain cells from quickly absorbing these neurotransmitters. By bringing equilibrium back to the chemicals in your brain, Cymbalta can help alleviate anxiety, lessen panic attacks, and improve your mood. All prescribed medication has the potential for side effects and Cymbalta is no exception.

Common side effects of Cymbalta include:. Because side effects vary for different people, you may experience some, none, or all of these. Typically, these side effects will subside over time as your body adjusts to taking Cymbalta. Serious allergic drug reactions can also happen when taking Cymbalta. Contact your doctor or pharmacy immediately if you experience the side effects of vomiting, swelling of your mouth, tongue, and face, rash, hives, or difficulty breathing.

You may notice improvements within the first days to weeks of taking this medication. However, it can take up to several months to fully experience the benefits of Cymbalta. You may need to give your medication some time before deciding if it's working for you. Be sure that you don't just suddenly stop taking Cymbalta as you may experience uncomfortable discontinuation symptoms like dizziness, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, anxiety, or sleeping difficulties.

If you need to stop taking Cymbalta, talk to your doctor first so he or she can put you on a tapering schedule that gradually decreases your dose in order to avoid these withdrawal symptoms.

Before you start taking a new medication it's important that you understand the risks. You should discuss the risks of taking Cymbalta with your doctor. In , the U. Known as a black box warning , the FDA cautions that these medications can potentially increase the risk for suicidal thoughts and actions.

Children, teens, and young adults were found to be especially at risk for this. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

There are other precautions you should know about when taking Cymbalta. Alcohol Consumption. Drinking alcohol while taking Cymbalta requires caution. Alcohol consumption runs the risk of increasing the toxicity of Cymbalta, potentially impacting its effectiveness and leading to more serious side effects. Other Medications. Be sure to tell your doctor about all the other over-the-counter and prescription medications you're taking or plan to start taking. People living with MDD who wish to become pregnant face important decisions.

Untreated MDD has risks to the fetus, as well as the mother. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctor and caregivers. For women who take antidepressant medications during weeks 13 through the end of their pregnancy second and third trimesters , there is a risk that the baby can be born before it is fully developed before 37 weeks.

Typically, patients begin at a low dose of medicine and the dose is increased slowly over several weeks. The dose usually ranges from 20 mg to mg. Only your health care provider can determine the correct dose for you. It should not be chewed, crushed, or broken. Consider using a calendar, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone alert to help you remember to take your medication. You may also ask a family member or a friend to remind you or check in with you to be sure you are taking your medication.

If you miss a dose of duloxetine take it as soon as you remember, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Discuss this with your health care provider. Do not double your next dose or take more than what is prescribed.

Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while you are taking antidepressant medications. They may decrease the benefits e. Alcohol increases the risk of liver problems with duloxetine. If an overdose occurs, call your doctor or You may need urgent medical care. You may also contact the poison control center at Headache, nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, decreased appetite, increased sweating, feeling nervous, restless, fatigued, sleepy or having trouble sleeping insomnia.

These will often improve over the first week or two as you continue to take the medication. Sexual side effects, such as problems with orgasm or ejaculatory delay, and blood pressure increases often do not improve over time.

There have been rare reports of liver failure sometimes fatal with duloxetine. This risk is increased in those with substantial alcohol use or chronic liver disease.

Orthostatic hypotension, or a drop in blood pressure when standing or getting up from sleeping, has been reported in patients taking duloxetine. The risk may be greater in patients also taking medications for high blood pressure. Increased heart rate, irregular menstrual cycle, increased frequency of urination or difficulty urinating, increased liver enzymes, teeth grinding, low sodium symptoms of low sodium levels may include headache, weakness, difficulty concentrating and remembering , angle closure glaucoma symptoms of angle closure glaucoma may include eye pain, changes in vision, swelling or redness in or around eye , serotonin syndrome symptoms may include shivering, diarrhea, confusion, severe muscle tightness, fever, seizures, and death , hypertensive crisis severely elevated blood pressure , myocardial infarction heart attack , Stevens-Johnson Syndrome rash , pancreatitis SNRI antidepressants, including duloxetine, may increase the risk of bleeding events.

Combined use of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs e. This may include gums that bleed more easily, nose bleed, or gastrointestinal bleeding.

Some cases have been life threatening. To date, there are no known problems associated with long term use of duloxetine. It is a safe and effective medication when used as directed. Duloxetine should not be taken with or within 2 weeks of taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs. These side effects are usually mild and go away after a couple of weeks. If you and your doctor decide to take you off duloxetine, your doctor may recommend reducing your dose gradually to help prevent extra side effects.

Duloxetine is also called by the brand names Cymbalta and Yentreve. Duloxetine can be taken by adults aged 18 years and over. For stress urinary incontenince, duloxetine can only be used by women. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor if you: have had an allergic reaction to duloxetine or any other medicines in the past have kidney or liver problems have a heart problem are taking or have taken other medicines for depression within the last 14 days have an eye condition called glaucoma - duloxetine can increase the pressure in your eye have or have had fits, manic episodes or bipolar disorder bruise easily are trying to become pregnant, are already pregnant, or you're breastfeeding.

How much will I take? How much you take will depend on what you're taking it for: depression - the starting dose is 60mg a day and can be increased to mg a day anxiety - the starting dose is 30mg a day and can be increased to 60mg a day nerve pain - the starting dose is 60mg a day and can be increased to 60mg twice a day stress urinary incontinence - the starting dose is 20mg twice a day and can be increased to 40mg twice a day after 2 weeks What if I forget to take it?

If you usually take duloxetine: once a day - take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it's less than 12 hours until your next dose, in which case skip the missed dose twice a day - take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it's less than 4 hours until your next dose, in which case skip the missed dose Never take 2 doses at the same time to make up for a forgotten one.

If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. What if I take too much? Urgent advice: Call your doctor straight away if you take too much duloxetine and:. Common side effects These side effects happen in more than 1 in people. These are not all the side effects of duloxetine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. Information: You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme. What to do about: difficulty sleeping - try taking duloxetine first thing in the morning headaches - make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids.

Do not drink too much alcohol. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. Talk to your doctor if they last longer than a week or are severe. If you begin to feel dizzy, lie down so you do not faint, then sit until you feel better.

Do not drive or use tools or machines if you feel dizzy, have muscle cramps or muscle pain, or if you just feel a bit shaky. If it lasts for more than a day or two, speak to your doctor as they may need to change your treatment.

Try to exercise more regularly by going for a daily walk or run, for example. If this does not help, talk to your pharmacist or doctor. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor first. Make sure you take duloxetine in the morning with some food and try small, frequent sips of water if you're being sick to avoid dehydration. If this does not help, you may need to try a different type of antidepressant.

Try taking duloxetine 1 hour before bedtime. Cut down the amount of alcohol you drink as this will make you feel more tired. If this symptom does not go away after a week or two, ask your doctor for advice.

It may also help to eat smaller meals more often and eat foods you really enjoy. If your appetite does not improve or you lose a lot of weight, ask your doctor for advice. Duloxetine and breastfeeding If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, duloxetine may be used during breastfeeding.

Non-urgent advice: Tell your doctor if you're:. Tell your doctor if you're taking: any other medicines for depression - some rarely used antidepressants can interfere with duloxetine to cause very high blood pressure even after you have stopped taking them medication used to thin the blood, such as warfarin diazepam, chlorphenamine or other medication that can make you feel more sleepy tramadol — this can increase the chances of you having certain side effects Mixing duloxetine with herbal remedies and supplements Do not take the herbal remedy St John's wort while you're being treated with duloxetine, as this will increase your risk of side effects.

Important Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements. How does duloxetine work? When will I feel better? Give the medicine at least 6 weeks to work. How will it make me feel? You'll hopefully take things that used to worry you in your stride. How long will I take it for? How long you take it for depends on why you're taking it.

Is it safe to take it for a long time? Yes, duloxetine is safe to take for a long time. How do I come off duloxetine?